Phoenix Wright: Guardians of Law
by FoxMcCloud7921
Summary: A year has passed since the events of Dual Destinies. With Phoenix officially reinstated as an attorney, he, Apollo, and Athena continue to defend the people and uphold the meaning of justice and the law.
1. Episode 1: Turnabout Return

(A/N: I suppose first I should apologize for being gone so long. Of course I've been busy with school but I've also spent the last few weeks practically playing the entire Phoenix Wright series… well almost all of them and because of that you are now seeing this. After playing them for awhile and going through my head, I pretty have a way to do the trial sessions and everything so hopefully it pleases all PW fans. So anyway, hope you all enjoy the story and hopefully I'll stick to the characters as Capcom would, which reminds me I do not own Ace Attorney or any of its characters. And before that, the song I'm using here is "Dahlia Hawthorne – Distant Trance" from Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations.)

* * *

Episode 1: Turnabout Return

_July 9 7:35 pm_

_Café Nuevo_

_Downtown_

Phoenix Wright was used to being nervous. Or perhaps anxious was the word. In his younger days as a lawyer, he would feel anxious before each court case, probably because every case he had ever done had never been as simple as they seemed. But he was no longer a lawyer, and this was no court case.

Instead of the old blue suit he used to wear in court, he was wearing his familiar hoody, jeans, and light blue beanie. He took a sip of his coffee, checking the time. _"She's still not here yet…" _he thought. _"Maybe she's just late… after all she didn't exactly say where she was staying…"_

"…Feenie?" The name quickly broke him out of his thoughts as he looked behind him. *Even after seven years, she looked exactly the same as he last saw her, although instead of the Kurain robes he remembered, she was wearing a sweater and black pants.

"Iris…" He practically breathed the name out and he already felt himself losing his composure. _"Definitely should've stuck to chamomile…" _"Hey… how's it going?" He was ready to slap himself.

Iris smiled and giggled. "Even after seven years, you're still the young I remember," she said as she sat down opposite him. She then saw the cup. "Oh, I hope I wasn't keeping you for long…!"

"Not at all," Phoenix replied. "Is jasmine good?"

"You remembered!" She then took a sip. "To be honest, I was kind of nervous showing up, even calling you. It's been so long I wasn't sure what you'd be up to now…"

"Same here, although it's been about the same as it has over the years…" There was a tinge of sadness in his voice.

"I know it was long ago, but I'm sorry about your lawyer career," Iris said, bowing her head slightly.

Phoenix then smiled. "Don't worry about it, what's done is done. And even though it was a dark period for me, some good things came out of it. Besides, the whole thing got resolved not too long ago so technically if I go and take the bar exam again, I could earn back my badge."

Iris gasped slightly. "Are you going to do it?"

Phoenix smirked slightly. "I might… actually I'm still not sure yet. I think in time the decision will come to me. But enough about me, how have you been?"

"To be honest, I didn't realize how warm it would be here," Iris said, laughing. "When you're living up in the mountains, one becomes accustomed to the cold."

"Still helping Sister Bikini out?"

"Yes, her poor back is even worse now but she's still as determined as always, and we've had plenty of visitors come up for spiritual training over the years so we're both happy. Have you spoken to Mystic Maya recently?"

Phoenix's sudden frown was disguised as he took another sip of coffee. "No… although I'm sure she's been busy, being the Kurain Master and all now…"

Now Iris looked uncomfortable. "I've… wanted to go visit Kurain Village for some time now, since I am a Fey after all… and I've wanted to see Pearl too, being her sister and all. But… I still feel as if it's too soon…"

Phoenix knew exactly what she was talking about. That case… the one that ended up shattering the lives of so many… It was one he would remember for the rest of his life. "Maya never blamed you for anything, and knowing her, she would welcome you with open arms. You two are cousins, after all."

"I suppose you're right… Hey Nick, I was wondering… perhaps we could get out of here and go back to my place. I… rented a motel so it's nothing fancy but since I figured I was going to be here for a few days."

"I… um…" _"Come on Phoenix, get a hold of yourself! I'm sure it's nothing and an hour or two wouldn't be too bad."_ But he hadn't been expecting it, nor had he told Trucy. She was going to be suspicious… although if worse came to worse he could always give Apollo a call. "Sure, we have lots to catch up on."

"Yeah…" Iris said as she reached out and took his hand. "I've… missed you a lot Nick."

"Ah… you too Iris." It was strange. Before that case, he had loathed the girl in front of him, who somehow he thought to be her twin Dahlia. Dahlia, in fact, never cared for him and in the end he found out it wasn't really her but Iris, who did in fact share the feelings he had with her. Maybe now it was time…

As they both left, Iris looked around. "The motel isn't too far; I can get us a taxi though." That was when Phoenix heard it, a sound he had come to recognize in his years as a lawyer. The loud bang rang loud and he suddenly heard Iris gasp. He then turned to her, seeing her stumble slightly as blood was suddenly pouring from her stomach.

"Iris! No!" Phoenix yelled as he caught her and held her close. It didn't look like a fatal wound but she was losing blood fast. He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed 911. "Hang on Iris, help is coming!"

Iris suddenly smiled as her eyes drooped. "Feenie… before I go… I just wanted to tell you…"

"Don't talk Iris, just hang on!"

"I… I…. lo…"

And then Iris went limp, as Phoenix felt her soul leave her. Everything in him went numb, as he stayed at her innocent face… It had happened again… another Fey had been taken away from this world. When would it stop? He held her close as tears came to his eyes and for the first time in years, he wept.

* * *

FoxMcCloud7921


	2. Trial

(A/N: For this part, the song I'm using is "Courtroom Lobby ~ New Prelude" from Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.)

* * *

_July 10, 9:47 am_

_District Court_

_Defendant Lobby No. 3_

_*"Ugh… what a night…" _Apollo groaned to himself as he stood in the lobby. It had been about two in the morning when Phoenix had given him a call. A murder had taken place at a local café downtown, with Wright himself being one of the witnesses. It hadn't taken long for the police to find the suspect, although the suspect in question was the problem.

"Mr. Justice?"

Apollo shook off the fatigue and looked to see his new client. "Oh, Officer Parkins, sorry, it's been an early morning so far for me…"

"You think it's bad for you, try being put under arrest only hours after being on duty all day!" Parkins snapped. Young, blonde-haired and young at twenty-one, Trey Parkins was fresh out of the Academy and by all means a rookie.

"_And yet being accused of murdering someone he never met, I can already tell this guy is innocent… I hope at least." _Apollo sighed. "I have no doubt it's been rough the past couple of hours but I promise I will help get you off. You just have to have faith in me." Have faith in your client; that was the other thing he needed to remember.

"I hope you're feeling ready Apollo." Apollo turned and saw his mentor and boss, Phoenix Wright.

"Mr. Wright, I wasn't expecting you here… is Trucy not with you?" he asked.

"Don't you worry about her, I had an assignment for her so I'll be at your side for once today," Phoenix replied. Apollo could see his mentor was tired, most likely he hadn't gotten any sleep at all the previous night. "How are you holding up Mr. Parkins?"

Parkins sighed. "I've been better… only two months in the precinct and I'm already going to lose my badge…"

"Not yet you're not," Apollo spoke up. "As long as you have faith in us, we'll get you cleared, I promise."

"Let's just hope that's true for today," Phoenix commented.

"_That's weird, coming from him," _Apollo thought. _"I know there's something he's not telling me about this… but it doesn't matter, I have to prove Mr. Parkin's innocence and hopefully find the real culprit responsible. Here comes Justice!"  
_

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Trial" from Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.)

* * *

_July 10, 10:00 am_

_District Court_

_Courtroom No. 3_

There was plenty of chatter going inside the courtroom. Word of the victim had spread and this was no doubt going to be an interesting trial. The judge then banged down his gavel. *"Court is now in session for the trial of Trey Parkins," he said.

"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Apollo said calmly.

"The prosecution is ready as well." Apollo looked over and saw it was the same man from his first trial almost a year ago. "Well, well, well, we meet again Mr. Justice. This time though, I promise I won't go so easy on you!"

"…_Who's this guy again?" _Apollo thought. _"Something Payne?"_

"Now then, would you like to give your opening statement Mr. Payne?" the judge asked.

"Certainly your honor," Payne replied. "Yesterday evening, around eight o'clock, the victim was at a local café with one of the witnesses, Mr. Wright over there. Her name was Iris Fey and she was, as I said, on a date with Mr. Wright." He then shook his head with a smile on his face. "I must say Mr. Wright, you do seem to bring bad luck against the Fey women, don't you?"

"I'd be careful what you say, Payne," Phoenix said almost bitterly.

"_Yikes, this is going to get ugly quickly," _Apollo thought grimly. _"But that name Fey, wasn't that the name of Mr. Wright's mentor?"_

"Er, Mr. Payne, the court would be appreciative if you didn't antagonize members of the defense," the judge said warily.

"My apologies," Payne said. "Anyway, Miss Fey was fatally shot while outside the café and died due to blood loss. Shortly after the police arrived, the defendant Mr. Parkins was found in a car nearby and was arrested."

**OBJECTION!**

"And I'm sure you have evidence to prove that my client was responsible for the shooting?" Apollo asked.

"But of course," Payne said. "We have the bullet that struck Miss Fey and Mr. Parkin's gun."

"Very well, the court accepts both pieces of evidence," the judge said.

"Also it should be noted while examining the gun, it was discovered that the gun had been fired once, no doubt confirming Mr. Parkins is the one responsible," Payne added.

"_This…is definitely not good…"_ Apollo thought.

"Hmm…" Apollo looked over and saw Phoenix was deep in thought.

"What is it Mr. Wright?" Apollo asked.

"Something about that bullet looks… off," Phoenix said. "That being said, let's wait for the opportune moment."

"Now then Mr. Payne, who will you call to the stand first?" the judge asked.

"I would like to call the lead detective conducting this case," Payne said.

"Very well."

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Questioning – Moderato 2007" from Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.)

* * *

Once the witness had taken the stand, Payne started. "Your name and occupation please?"

"Ema Skye. I'm the lead detective down in the precinct," the young lady replied. She then smiled. "By the way, it's good to see you again Mr. Wright."

"You as well Ema," Phoenix said, smiling. "Although I wish it was under better terms."

"Can you please tell the court about your findings Miss Skye?" Payne asked.

"Certainly," Ema replied.

"As the autopsy report says, the victim was struck in the stomach and died due to blood loss. We were able to recover the bullet which was still inside the victim. We then got a tip from a witness saying he saw the defendant nearby getting into his car which was down the street. Upon searching his car, we found his gun which had been fired once at some point but that was about it."

"Hmm… so the only thing found in the car was his gun?" the judge asked.

"Well, other than food and other non-related stuff, yes," Ema replied.

"As you can see Your Honor, because detectives and police officers are really the only ones who carry guns, Mr. Parkins, being the only officer in the area at the time, is the most likely suspect," Mr. Payne explained.

"That is a good point," the judge replied. "Very well, you may begin your cross-examination Mr. Justice."

"Here we go Apollo," Phoenix said.

"So Miss Skye, you are absolutely sure nothing else was found in Mr. Parkins' car?" Apollo asked.

"Absolutely," Ema replied. "We checked from the front seat to the trunk but nothing else was there. Of course he did have a half-empty bag of Snackoos in his car…"

"Y-You didn't steal them did you?" Apollo asked. He knew how much the detective loved her Snackoos.

"O-Of course not! …Well, okay maybe I did…" she said. "I mean, they only say not to disturb the crime scene…"

"_You have got to be kidding me… Well, if there was only the gun, there has to be a contradiction. This bullet looks…wait, that's it!" _

"As the witness said, only his gun was found," Payne said. "But I believe that's all that-"

**OBJECTION!**

"Miss Skye, could you take a look at this bullet?" Apollo asked. "I'm sure you've seen plenty of bullets from _handguns_ but even you could see something's different about this."

"Hmm… yeah I see what you mean, I don't think this is a regular bullet… unless…"

"Unless, and now I admit I'm no expert at guns but perhaps due to the fact that Mr. Wright or anyone else didn't see the killer has me convinced that this bullet did not come from a pistol… but a rifle instead!"

"W-What!?" Payne squeaked.

The courtroom erupted into commotion and the judge banged down his gavel. "Order! Order! Order I say! Mr. Justice, are you saying that the killer used a rifle instead of a pistol."

"Indeed your honor," Apollo said. "As you can see by the shape, this bullet looks nothing like a regular bullet and would not fit inside the chamber of a pistol. Furthermore, judging by the distance, it would be much harder to shoot a person at a long distance with a pistol than with a rifle."

"But… didn't Miss Skye say the gun Mr. Parkins owns had been fired once?" the judge asked.

"Well…" Payne said slowly, sweating. "The defendant claims that he had used his gun at the firing range this morning before reporting in."

"Hmm… then it would appear that Mr. Parkins could not have been the one responsible since a rifle was not found in his car," the judge said.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Thrill Theme – Suspense" from Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.)

* * *

**HOLD IT!**

"Hee hee, I'll give you that one Mr. Justice," Payne said, his smile now returned. "But before you hand down your verdict your Honor, the court must know that Mr. Parkins does in fact have experience using long-range rifles." *The courtroom then erupted again in commotion.

**OBJECTION!**

Apollo slammed his fists into the table. "That is irrelevant your Honor! There was no rifle found on Mr. Parkins or in his car!"

**OBJECTION!**

"That may be true, but Mr. Parkins could have easily hidden the rifle somewhere else!" Payne objected. "And because the police weren't able to pinpoint the exact location of where the rifle was fired, it could literally be anywhere!"

"I'm afraid he has a point, Apollo," Phoenix said. "Because he's the only officer in the area at the time and the rifle hasn't been found yet, he's still the only suspect."

"_Damn it, and we were so close to that Not Guilty verdict!" _Apollo thought.

"With this information, I'm not exactly sure if I can grant a verdict," the judge said uncertainly.

"As it so happens, I have a witness who heard and saw the murder take place, as well as seeing Mr. Parkins fleeing the scene."

"_This is going from bad to worse…"_

"Very well, you may bring in this next witness," the judge said.

The next witness was soon brought in after a few moments. "Your name and occupation please?" Payne asked.

"Colin McGray, I work at the local pet store downtown." The witness looked to be in his early thirties with short black hair.

"Mr. McGray, you were at the café when the murder took place?" Payne asked.

"Indeed I was," McGray replied.

"Hmm… very well, you may give your testimony to the court," the judge said.

"I arrived at the café about thirty minutes before the shooting took place. I was sitting in the back drinking coffee when I heard the gunshot. I got up to my feet and went to the front to see if I could help. That was when I saw the defendant running across the street to his car and I had a feeling he was the one who shot the victim!"

"Hmm… Mr. McGray, just for clarification, when you saw the defendant, was he carrying anything?" the judge asked.

"No, not that I could see," McGray replied. "But he looked panicked, scared. If he was a cop, he should've been protecting people, not running towards his car."

"That… may be true but we're not exactly sure why he did that," the judge said. "Anyway, you may begin your cross-examination Mr. Justice."

Apollo then noticed Phoenix was staring at the witness. "Mr. Wright?" Phoenix didn't respond so Apollo decided to leave it. _"This witness has a pretty good testimony, but I'm not sure at the moment if he's lying about anything."_

**OBJECTION!**

The sudden outburst caught him off guard. "H-Hu-?"

"Mr. McGray, you said you heard the gunshot while inside the café?" Phoenix said. He then smirked. "Sorry but that's a big fat lie."

"W-What?" McGray said.

"I was in that same café, in the front and there was music playing inside, loud enough that it was hard for me to hear anything and if that's true, then it would next to impossible for you to hear anything!"

McGray then froze and stammered. "Well…I…"

"Is this true Mr. McGray!?" the judge said.

"I… no I didn't hear it, I should have specified what I meant by that," McGray said. "I thought I heard something and then I saw there was commotion outside and I pieced everything together."

"I see… well do try to be more specific when you're testifying!" the judge said, glaring.

"Y-Yes your honor!"

"Now then, please testify again and explain exactly everything that happened."

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Questioning – Allegro 2007" from Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.)

* * *

*"As I said, I thought I heard something loud from outside, and then I saw a commotion taking place so I went up front. People were saying there had been a gunshot and I thought it best to stay inside to stay protected. That was when I saw the cop outside running towards his car."

"Hmm… well now it makes more sense it seems," the judge said. "You may start your cross-examination."

"_The more and more I hear this, the more and more I'm starting to suspect something."_ He then felt his bracelet tighten. _"I knew it… he is lying about something and I think I know just what about?" _As McGray had talked about hearing something, there was a twitch, not a noticeable to many but he had seen it self, on the back of his left hand.

"Mr. McGray, you say that you heard something loud and yet, you immediately thought it was something bad, why?"

"Isn't it obvious, the sound was rather deep, something most people don't hear," McGray replied.

"Large rigs make deep sounds, trains make deep sounds," Apollo said. "And of course I noticed you twitched slightly while mentioning it. Which means I think you knew there was going to be an incident; that someone, being Miss Fey, was going to be shot."

"Gah!" McGray looked even more horrified now.

"W-Wait, what are you suggesting Mr. Justice?" the judge said.

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Pursuit ~ Overtaken" from Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.)

"It's quite simple your Honor," Apollo said as he smiled. *"Mr. McGray knew the attack was going to happen because he was the one who set it up!"

"NO!"

The courtroom once again erupted in commotion as the judge banged hard with his gavel. "ORDER! ORDER OR ELSE I WILL ADJOURN THIS COURT! Mr. Justice, what is the meaning of this!?"

"_This is it!" _"It's like the witness said, he heard something and immediately thought it to be a gunshot, but why? I think Mr. McGray had this whole planned out from the start. He wanted to be there to see the victim, Iris Fey be shot but he of course had to set up his alibi which was why he arrived early!"

**OBJECTION!**

"This is absolutely ludicrous!" Payne shouted. "Why would the witness want the victim dead in the first place!? What motive could he possibly have!?"

"Yeah, Mr. Attorney, what proof do you have!?" McGray snapped.

"I…" _"No! I don't have any proof! But it's the only explanation!"_

"Ha, you see your Honor, the defense is once again pulling at straws!" Payne countered.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with the prosecution," the judge said. "If there is no evidence linking the victim and witness, then I will have to deny this accusation. If there's nothing else the witness has to say, then-"

**HOLD IT!  
**

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Pursuit ~ Cornered" from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.)

* * *

The room went absolutely quiet. "Hold on your Honor," Phoenix said. "It took me awhile to remember the name but I remember you now Colin. We never met but I remember seeing you twelve years ago at Ivy U. with your friend Doug Swallows."

"Y-You remember!?" McGray asked.

"_That case! It was when Mr. Wright was accused of murdering Mr. Swallows and that was how he met Mia Fey his mentor!" _Apollo thought. "Um, Mr. Wright-!"

"Of course I do, and I'm sure you remember well what happened to Doug," Phoenix said. "As well do Mr. Payne and your Honor of course."

"…Yes, I do remember that name!" the judge said.

"What's your point Wright, since we're going to play this game?" McGray asked.

"I think it's very simple," Phoenix said. *"You wanted to avenge your friend's death so you had Iris taken out!"

"Why would I do that? That girl, the real killer is already dead so why go after her sister!?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, both Iris and Dahlia Hawthorne were both in on the case that took place years ago. Dahlia of course wanted to kill me but Doug figured her out so she killed him instead and planted the blame on me. Still, even though Iris wasn't involved directly, you knew both were at fault so you wanted to make both of them pay!"

McGray bared his teeth. "Okay, I admit I wanted to make them both pay but Dahlia was the mastermind and putting her to death was enough for Doug to rest in peace."

"Or so you thought at first, but seeing Iris again made you think and the tempting thought of striking her off almost seemed to good to be true so you hired a hitman."

"You can come up with any story that you want Wright but it changes nothing since you still have no proof that I was involved."

"This is… most surprising but I have to agree again that unless you have proof I cannot charge the witness," the judge said.

**HOLD IT!**

Someone had just rushed into the courtroom and Apollo couldn't believe his eyes. _"It…it can't be!"_

"I'm sorry for the interruption your Honor." The entire court was now witness to Iris Fey, who should have been dead, was now standing there before them.

"I-It's you!" the judge said. "But that's-!"

"IMPOSSIBLE!"

McGray was standing there, shaking and pointing his finger at her. "No…! You… You can't still be alive!"

"Wait a minute Mr. McGray did you just say what I think you just said!?" the judge asked.

"To settle the matter straight, yes I have unfortunately passed on and am channeling my spirit through a spirit medium," Iris said, bowing her head slightly. "I came here on behalf of Mr. Wright's instructions."

"_This isn't…what!?" _Apollo couldn't say anything.

Phoenix smiled. "Your Honor, as you can see the witness is surprised and judging by his reaction, he has very well confessed to his crime."

"I… see…" the judge said. "Well Mr. McGray, is this true!?"

* * *

(A/N: For this part, the song I'm using is "Reminisce – The Bitter Taste of Truth" from Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations.)

* * *

"…Yes, yes I did it… I hired someone to kill her." McGray said. *"I know deep down I should've been happy that the one who killed Doug was brought to justice, and yet it wasn't enough for me. Days ago I had spotted the victim in the café and I became upset. Being upset led me to think the unthinkable and the rest has already been said.

"I'm… sorry Wright, I know she meant a lot to you and I never wanted you to take it personally but… I thought I did what was best for Doug."

"Colin… I just want you to know that I never would've wished any harm against Doug, if I had known what my sister was going to do…" Iris said sadly. McGray didn't respond.

"Regardless of what you believed in, you have to face the truth and own up to your crime," Phoenix said. "And realize only causing more bloodshed solves nothing."

"Mr. Payne, how is Mr. McGray doing?" the judge asked.

"He has been put under arrest, your Honor," Payne said.

"I see… what an unfortunate thing to happen to the poor girl…" the judge said, sighing. "Now then, with that being said, I find the defendant Trey Parkins…"

NOT GUILTY

The crowd cheered as the judge struck his gavel one last time. "Court is adjourned."

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "We Won The Case! ~ Our Victory" from Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.)

* * *

_July 10, 12:39 pm_

_District Court_

_Defendant Lobby No. 3_

*"Mr. Wright…" Apollo said weakly. "I'm… not sure what to say."

"Ah, I should apologize Apollo," Phoenix said, looking a bit embarrassed. "I kind of took that case out of your hands."

"As long as we got Mr. Parkins that's all I care about," Apollo said. "But how did Miss Fey-?" He was then interrupted as Iris entered the lobby.

"Iris… I…" Phoenix began.

Iris put her hand up. "There's nothing to apologize about… I guess I should've known cooperating with my sister would have eventual consequences. But… even so, I thank you for helping me. I'm afraid I don't have much more time so… I came to say goodbye…"

"Yeah… I figured as much…"

"Always know I'll always be with you Nick." She then went up to him and kissed his cheek. "Forever and always…" Both men could feel Iris passing on as the spirit medium crumbled to the ground.

"Ah! Is she okay!?" Apollo almost yelled.

"Don't worry, just give her a minute…" Phoenix said.

The girl moaned slightly and opened her eyes slowly. "…Nick, is that you…?"

Phoenix smiled. "Welcome back Maya…" He then helped her up. "Apollo, I'd like you to meet Maya Fey, a very close friend of mine."

"I… uh… hi?" Apollo said.

Maya giggled. "Oh you remind me so much of Nick when we first met! Don't worry, it took him awhile to understand all this as well too."

"Er… right," Apollo said. "So… you're a spirit medium?"

"That's right," Maya nodded. "And of course I used to be an assistant for Nick as well."

"I'll explain a little more later," Phoenix said. "Maya, I can't thank you enough."

"Hey… I'm always here if you need me Nick," Maya said. "You done me plenty of favors as well so it was about time I do the same. But enough of that! With this case closed, I say we celebrate and I know just the burger joint to go too!"

"…You haven't changed one bit Maya…" Phoenix laughed.

"And I could use a drink too. I have this weird taste in my mouth… I wonder from what…?"

"Urk! Um… I'm sure it's nothing, really!" Phoenix said.

"…_It's funny, seeing these two almost remind me of Trucy and I…Almost two completely opposite people and yet here they are having been friends for a long time…_

_I got to know more about Maya while we celebrated our latest victory. It wasn't long after we ran into Trucy who had just finished her "assignment." Apparently Mr. Wright had her check out the area where the shooting had taken place but came up with nothing. I guess it shouldn't be a surprise but now that I think about it… who could've been this mysterious hitman?  
_

_"I didn't have much time to think about it... this was just before I met Athena... and the adventures we got sucked into as part of the Dark Age of the Law..."_

* * *

(A/N: For this last and final part, the song I'm using is "In-Flight" from Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.)

* * *

_July 10 ?:?_

_?_

_?_

_*"So Nick, now that everything's all said and done, what are you going to do now?"_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Well, you _are _going to become a lawyer again, right?"_

"_I had been thinking about it, yeah… I've come to realize being a lawyer isn't just a job, it's a duty, for those who need help. I've made up my mind: I'm going to retake that bar exam and get my badge again."_

"_There's the Nick I know! By the way… I know I've been busy, being the Kurain Master and all but… I wouldn't mind coming back and working on a new case, just like old times."_

"_My door's always opened Maya… but thank you again… for everything…"  
_

* * *

The End

(A/N: So like I said, I did things a little bit different with this fic compared to the games but hopefully I stuck true to the game's concepts. As for this episode, it has come to a close but do not think it ends here!)

FoxMcCloud7921


	3. Episode 2: Turnabout Travels

Episode 2: Turnabout Travels

"_Not a day goes by without me thinking about her…and each day I know who's at fault… You caused this to happen; you're going to pay for what you did to her!"_

"_NO!"_

_The man suddenly felt his balance shift and suddenly he fell down the stairs, crashing to the bottom with a sickening crack and thud, remaining motionless as the life drained out of him…  
_

* * *

_May 13, 5:03 am_

_Wright Anything Agency  
_

As Phoenix slowly awoke from sleep, he could hear his cell phone going off. Looking at the clock, he groaned as he slowly reached and picked it up. "…This is Phoenix Wright…"

"Oh good, you picked up! Sorry to bother you Mr. Wright, but I need your help! I've been accused of murder and I need to find a lawyer." It was definitely a man's voice and he definitely sounded desperate.

"Are you at the Detention Center right now?" Phoenix asked. "It may take a bit but I can meet you down there."

"Yeah… about that… see I actually live in Chicago…"

"Ch-Chicago!? Listen mister…?"

"Bryan. Jake Bryan."

"Mr. Bryan, that's a three hour flight and I really only take cases in my district. I'm sure you can find an attorney in Chicago easily."

"But not as good as you! At least, that's what my friend's daughter always says; she was the one who gave me your number after all."

"_How did she…nevermind…" _Phoenix sighed. It certainly sounded desperate and if this guy needed him, it had to be bad. "…Alright Mr. Bryan, I'll represent you but like I said, it's going to be a three hour flight at least…"

"Thank you Mr. Wright, I'm most appreciative."

"_I still can't believe I just agreed to this…" _Phoenix thought as he hung up the phone. Still, it was too late now to refuse. He knew he was going to have to pack and get a ticket immediately. He then left a note to Apollo and Athena letting them know before waking up Trucy. "Wake up sweetie, we're going on a vacation…"

* * *

_May 13, 7:13 am_

_Flight 113 to Chicago_

"Wow, not only is this my first time flying but this is my first time traveling out of state!" Trucy said as she looked out the window. They had taken off only a short while ago and were now about thirty thousand feet in the air.

"You better get used to it because this may be the only time I defend out of state," Phoenix said as he closed his laptop and laid back in his seat.

"So what were you looking at?" Trucy asked.

"Information on our case," Phoenix said. "Because of the time difference we're going to be behind and possibly at a disadvantage so we need to catch up quickly." He then explained the case itself: Jake Bryan was being accused of murdering his friend, name not yet given, by pushing the man down the stairs of his own house. Cause of death was a broken neck.

"Wow, so they both got into a fight?" Trucy asked.

"Seems that way, but Mr. Bryan will hopefully be able to tell us more once we arrive." _Little did I know once I got far enough into this case it would take a turn for the worse…  
_

* * *

_May 13, 9:27 am_

_Detention Center_

_Downtown_

"It's been almost half an hour already…" Trucy said as the two of them waited inside the detention center.

"_Yeah, even for a place like this that's unusual…" _Phoenix thought. However, they didn't have to wait much longer as the door on the other side opened and one of the guards escorted in Jake Bryan.

Bryan looked to be somewhere in his mid to late thirties, had short brown hair that showed premature balding in some areas and was a little shorter than Phoenix. He also looked as miserable as any other person he's defended. "Mr. Wright," he said gravely. "You actually kept your word and came."

"Of course Mr. Bryan," Phoenix said, deciding to ignore the part about keeping one's word. "How are you holding up?"

"As well as one would expect," Bryan replied, shrugging. "At least the police haven't been bothering me too much."

"That's good," Phoenix said. "Now, perhaps you can tell us what happened?"

"Certainly. My friend Dan Sweeney, the victim, well, he and I were chatting at his house last night over a few drinks, that's all. It had been a few hours and I decided to turn in. Luckily, my house was right next to his so I could just walk over. Next thing I know, early in the morning the police come to my door, ask me questions and not long after I'm put under arrest!"

"So in other words, you were the last one to see him alive?" Phoenix asked.

"That's right, but I swear there had been no fight and we never went upstairs for anything." Bryan then sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, I have a feeling Dan may have stumbled on something and fell down on his own. He wasn't quite in control of himself."

"_If the police haven't found anything to incriminate Mr. Bryan yet, he could very well be right," _Phoenix thought. "So is there anything else?"

"Oh right, one other thing," Bryan said. "I'm not sure who, but I guess there had been some witness who called the police in the middle of the night."

"Then we need to find out who this witness is," Trucy said, a determined look on her face.

"If we're lucky enough to get the information from the police," Phoenix said calmly. "Well, thank you for the help Mr. Bryan and getting us caught up. Now we have to build up our case."

Bryan chuckled. "Ah yes, gathering evidence and all that." His face then fell. "I know I should be feeling confident in you Mr. Wright but it's hard. I've never been arrested in my life…"

"Don't worry Mr. Bryan," Trucy said. "Daddy and I will solve this case and prove your innocence. You can count on us!"

Phoenix could remember a certain friend from long ago always saying that when he was still a young attorney. But now, he had the confidence that he can prove this man's innocence and would be willing to do whatever it takes to get it.

* * *

_May 13, 10:09 am_

_Sweeney's House_

_Downtown_

As was expected by any crime scene, the entire was surrounded by yellow tape and police cars. However, it seemed that the police were doing most of their work outside. "It looks like we may have an opportunity to do some investigating of our own," Phoenix said once they arrived.

Unfortunately, it didn't take them long to be noticed. "Hey buddy, yeah you."

"Huh?" Phoenix looked around and saw a man who was wearing a black trench coat. Why anyone would be wearing a coat in this weather Phoenix had no idea but other than making him stand out, it made him look suspicious.

"You're that lawyer for the suspect, Bryan, right?" he asked.

"That's right, and you are…?"

"Call me Damien," the man said. "Let's just say I'm a regular around these parts. See that small building next to Sweeney's house? The guy had his own little juice bar and sold drinks to everyone. Good business too and even I went there a few times. Of course, with Sweeney dead now I think that's the end of it now."

"Uh, thanks for the information," Phoenix said. "Did you witness anything going on the night of the murder?"

Damien hesitated for a moment but kept his cool. "Sorry Mr. Lawyer, I'm afraid I can't tell you that. Nothing personal, I just don't want to catch any unnecessary attention."

"_Unnecessary attention?" _"Right, well thanks again anyway Damien."

"I know Apollo is better at it than I am, but something really seemed off about that guy," Trucy said.

"Yeah, but I have a feeling he did witness something and someone's keeping him quiet," Phoenix agreed. But now was the time to start looking for clues, and they had to hurry before they caught any unnecessary attention from the police.

Upon entering the home, they could see the tape on the ground next to the stairs, no doubt where the body had been before. "So from what we know, Mr. Bryan and the victim had a couple drinks last night downstairs," Phoenix began. "Because of this, the victim was at least slightly intoxicated and probably had to hold onto the railing."

"Oh I get it!" Trucy said. "If we find fingerprints on the railing, then it'll prove whether Mr. Bryan was here during the time of the murder or not."

"Exactly," Phoenix said, smiling. Perhaps her sights were focused on being an ace magician, but she could always have a future in the world of law. "Unfortunately, we're probably going to need someone else to do a fingerprint analysis. For now, all we can do is look for anything that the forensics crew might not have picked up."

Of course, the police did a fine job of sweeping through everything, but that hasn't stopped Phoenix Wright in the past. The two of them split up: Trucy looked upstairs and Phoenix looked in the living room. In the middle of the room there was a small table where two cans laid. _"Yeah, better that I search through here…"_ he thought.

At first it didn't seem like there was anything important and Phoenix was about to move on until he noticed something small and square on one of the chairs. Going over and picking it up, Phoenix saw it was a picture, the date on it being a few years ago. The person in the picture, a woman who appeared to be in her thirties, was smiling with the background of the ocean behind her. It was possible this was someone Mr. Sweeney had known. He then pocketed it and went back to where Trucy was.

"Daddy, I think I found something," Trucy said upstairs.

"What is it?" Phoenix asked.

"Take a good look." Trucy was right at the top, looking at the carpet. "It's hard to see, but there are indentations that suggest shoeprints, and it looks like whoever they belong to is about a size nine."

"Size nine?" Phoenix hadn't taken a good look at Bryan's feet when they met, but it was possible that because of his shorter size, those footprints could belong to him, which would be very bad indeed. "So these have to belong to the murderer. If he was standing at the top and the victim was standing a step below, it would be easy for the murderer to push him down the stairs. And then there's this." He then took out the picture he found earlier.

"Oh, who's that?" Trucy asked.

"Not sure," Phoenix said. "But it's obviously someone the victim knew… and I wonder if Mr. Bryan does too."

"Wait, you're not saying we may have… found a motive, are you?" Trucy asked, surprised.

"It's possible, but we can't determine that yet," Phoenix said. "We need to gather more evidence."

"Evidence I do not believe you are authorized to collect." Phoenix heard the words downstairs and stiffened. It was then he realized the two of them may be in trouble.

* * *

(A/N: I know you guys have been waiting awhile for this and I'm sorry to keep you waiting. After a long time I can finally say I'm getting back into these stories. I know it would seem easier to put each part into one chapter but I think it's better to cut the material into smaller parts so you don't end up getting either bored or confused. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and like I said, I'll do my best to represent the characters as they are in the games but if not, please let me know.)

FoxMcCloud7921


	4. Investigation

(A/N: Okay first off, I apologize to all the PW supporters who were probably waiting forever for this update. I was doing so well and then I don't know what happened. However, I made it crucial that I start this chapter and not even work on any other story til I get this chapter done so there. By the way, as you can probably guess, I'm not as clever as Capcom when it comes up with punny names, so unfortunately unless something comes to mind, you won't see too many of those. Anyway, enjoy the chapter and as the section says, this is the investigation part of this case and most likely the next chapter will be the trial former.)

* * *

Investigation

Phoenix looked down to the source of the voice and saw that it belonged to a tall man with short brown hair and a rather dark coat. In all his years as an attorney, he's come to recognize officials of the law, and knew this guy had to be a detective.

"Ah, sorry for barging in unannounced," Phoenix said. "Is there anything we can help you with mister…?"

"Detective James Marshall," the man said, showing his badge. "And I would guess based on your suit that you're an attorney, most likely the suspect's, am I correct?"

"_He's good, I'll give him that much…" _Phoenix thought. "…Guilty as charged detective."

"Well, then you should be aware that this is a crime scene and as such, attorney's aren't allowed here," Marshall said. He then smiled grimly. "They may let you off easy back west Mr. Wright, but here we take our jobs seriously."

"_Guess I'm more well-known than I thought." _"Look detective, if I may-"

"Mr. Marshall, you have to let us look for evidence!" Trucy suddenly was looking at the man with a sad yet determined face. "If our client is innocent, you could be sending the wrong person to prison, and you wouldn't want to do that, right!?"

Marshall stared at her for a moment and then suddenly his smile grew warmer. "…Well, you're a hard one to say no to, miss. Truth is, forensics has practically covered every angle around here so I doubt you'll find anything new. Since I'm a fair guy though, I'll make an offer: Anything you find I'll have forensics check out for you, and because you were the ones to find it, I'll let you keep it for yourselves."

"Really!?" Trucy exclaimed.

"I… are you sure detective?" Phoenix asked.

"Yeah… look, I'm as eager as the next guy to catch the guy who did this but it's not to say I'm not cautious enough to avoid sentencing the wrong guy to prison. Besides, I've heard of you Mr. Phoenix Wright and as far as I know, you're one of the few lawyers who would be willing to send your own client yourself if you knew the truth. So, what do you say?" He then offered his hand.

"We'll take you up on your offer," Phoenix said, shaking his head. "But… won't you get in trouble with your superiors?"

"Nah, I've only been in this for a few years but I've delivered. Besides, underneath it all I'm still a big softie when it comes to kids."

Phoenix smiled. "Alright then, we'll let you know if anything comes up."

"Yeah… but try not to make a big scene… I can only keep the officers away to a certain point…" He then waved them off and went back outside.

"I owe you one there Trucy," Phoenix then said.

"Not a problem," Trucy smiled. "I could tell Mr. Marshall was going to be at least somewhat cooperative."

"Back to business then," Phoenix said. "From what we can tell, Mr. Sweeney and Mr. Bryan were both here before the murder took place. Judging by the amount of beer cans, they had a bit to drink. According to Mr. Bryan, he left about an hour later." _"And then there's that picture I found…that woman in the photo…could it be Mr. Sweeney's wife? I'll have to ask Detective Marshall about that one."_

"We also need to find out who has size nine feet," Trucy said. "But one thing bothers me…"

"What's that?"

"If Mr. Bryan was the one who pushed Mr. Sweeney down the steps, there's no way he could've done it that easily. Mr. Bryan seems to be a smaller man than the victim so it would've taken a lot of force to knock him down."

"_That's a good point…he probably would have needed to run right at him to generate enough force to knock him over… and there weren't any other prints except right at the top of the stairs." _"This is definitely becoming stranger by the minute. However, I don't think there's more we can do here until the police leave. Before we go though, we need to ask the detective a few questions."

They found him outside talking to one of the officers. "Mr. Wright, back already?" he asked.

"It seems the police did a good job inspecting everything," Phoenix said. "But I do have a few questions."

"Alright, but I'm going to tell you now, if you want to know about this so-called eyewitness, I can't tell ya."

"I figured you wouldn't." _"It was worth a try…" _"However… what I wanted to know was whether Mr. Sweeney has a girlfriend or wife."

"He did, but from what I've heard, she died about two years ago. Cancer, I think. He has a daughter who was just notified not too long ago. She was at a friend's house at the time and she should be coming back soon to be questioned. There is one other thing…"

"What's that?" Trucy asked.

"About his wife, Chelsea, that's her name. Mr. Sweeney and Mr. Bryan had been friends since high school and both of them knew Chelsea; heck, she was dating them at separate times at one point. Of course, she ended up marrying Mr. Sweeney and that was the end of it I suppose."

"So you think that was Mr. Bryan's motive?" Phoenix asked.

"Jealousy? Maybe… I'm not really able to tell at the moment. That's Prosecutor Thompson's job."

"Prosecutor Thompson?" Trucy asked.

The detective suddenly looked uncomfortable. "I've probably said too much… is there any other questions?"

"No, that's all. Thank you for the help detective." _"Prosecutor Thompson…wonder if I'll be facing him in court…"_

"So what now, daddy?" Trucy asked.

"The trial starts tomorrow but before that, we need to ask Mr. Bryan a few more questions." However, they were soon to be interrupted.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Investigation – Opening 2002" from Phoenix Wright: Justice For All.)

* * *

"Oh… my gosh… it's really you!"

"Huh?" Phoenix looked around, the voice almost startling him. He then saw a young girl around sixteen staring at him with long brown hair and wearing a long green sweater and black skirt. She also had the biggest grin on her face. "Are you-?"

*"Yes, it really is Phoenix Wright!" the girl exclaimed, putting her hands to her face. "I don't believe it… I didn't think you would come."

"I… do we know each other?" Phoenix asked.

"Not at all, but I do know you!" the girl said. "…Can I get a picture?"

"What, wait-!" The girl, however, had taken her phone out and went right between him and Trucy and took a picture. Trucy had smiled and Phoenix just looked dumbfounded.

"Perfect!" the girl said. "No one would believe unless I had hard evidence."

"Wow daddy, I guess we found your number one fan," Trucy whispered to him.

"_Lucky me…" _"Uh… just who are you exactly?" Phoenix asked.

"Oh, sorry, I got a bit carried away," the girl said. She then struck a pose and pointed her finger at him. "The name is Kelly Michaels, Future Ace Attorney!"

"…Future Ace Attorney?" Phoenix asked.

"That's right," Kelly said. "I'm still in high school but I've been studying law, which I'm hoping to major in college. I've seen and read all your cases Mr. Wright and as I said, I'm surprised you actually came."

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Pursuit ~ Cornered" from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.)

* * *

"All of them?" Trucy asked.

*"Yep! Kelly said. "But the final moments are always the best part. The killer tries one last attempt to slip away and Mr. Wright hits them with a big OBJECTION! Or even when he has to go against those pesky prosecutors, and whether they throw whips or mugs of coffee at him, he just hits them right back with a powerful OBJECTION!"

"Wow…" Trucy said. She then looked at Phoenix. "Is this all true?"

"Uh… something like that." _"That's pretty close though…" _ Now that he thought about it, he remembered something Mr. Bryan had said. _"My friend's daughter recommended you…"_

"Wait, you're the one who told Mr. Bryan to call me?"

"That's Wright!" She then giggled. "I mean, that's right. When I heard Uncle Jake was in trouble, I told him to call you because you would be the one who could help him."

Now the pieces were settling in. "So you're Mr. Sweeney's daughter?"

"Yeah… something like that," Kelly said, her demeanor suddenly changing. "When I heard what happened, I was at my friend's house, spending the night. I feel awful about it…"

"There was nothing you could do," Phoenix assured her. "Were you close to him?"

"It's… complicated," Kelly said. "You see, he's not my real father. My parents died in a car accident when I was really young so I didn't really know them. I was in foster care for a number of years until I was adopted by Mr. Sweeney and his wife."

"I'm sorry to hear that…" Phoenix said. _"Both her foster mother and father are gone… which means she'll have to go back into the system…"_ "And you're sure Mr. Bryan is innocent?"

"Absolutely," she said. "He really is a nice guy, and he helped my dad cope with my foster mother's death."

"So it's important we prove his innocence!" Trucy said.

"Oh, is this one of your assistants?" Kelly asked. "I seem to remember one of them wearing purple-"

"I'm Trucy, Trucy Wright," Trucy said. She then smiled. "I'm his daughter."

"Daughter!?" Kelly demeanor changed once again. "I had no idea!"

"It's…never mind." Phoenix said, sighing. "Anyway, I think the police are looking for you."

"Oh. Well, I guess I shouldn't keep them waiting then. Good luck at the trial Mr. Wright, I'll be watching!" She then ran off towards the house.

"_What a strange girl…" _he thought. Then again, 'strange' was becoming the new norm for him.

"She seems pretty nice," Trucy said. "I guess everyone has their fans, huh?"

"Yeah… and I guess she's earned the title too," Phoenix said. "Now then, it's time we pay Mr. Bryan one last visit."

* * *

_May 13, 3:39 pm_

_Detention Center_

_Downtown_

"Oh Mr. Wright, back already?" Bryan asked. "I hope you were able to find some things."

"Actually Mr. Bryan I have a few questions about Mr. Sweeney's family," Phoenix asked. "Is it true you knew Mrs. Sweeney back in high school?"

"Ah… I had a feeling that was going to come up sooner or later…" Bryan sat back in his chair. "It's true, we both had an eye on her back then. We took turns dating her too, it turned out. But she cared about Dan, there was something about him and while I tried to get back with her, she made her choice. Even before they got married, I accepted my defeat and went on to support them."

"You know they're going to use that as a motive," Phoenix said.

"Yeah… it seems that way," Bryan said. "But you have to believe me Mr. Wright, I don't hold any grudges and in no way do I blame him for her death. In fact, I was the one who helped him to stop blaming himself. It really took a toll on him."

"Poor Mr. Sweeney…" Trucy said.

"The other question is about his daughter Kelly," Phoenix asked. "How well do you know her?"

"She finally found you huh?" Bryan smiled. "She's a spunky one, I'll say that. She wasn't always like that though. You probably heard her story, but when she first came along she wasn't always like that. She wanted to do right and impress both her parents. She also wants to be a lawyer when she gets older, but after Chelsea died, Dan decided to build up a juice bar nearby, which to this day is still successful. However, he wanted her to take up a permanent job there. Let's just say it lead to some eventful arguments…"

"_So she really didn't get along with him then…" _Phoenix thought. "One last thing Mr. Bryan… what is your shoe size?"

"My… shoe size?" he asked. "Oh, I usually wear size elevens. Why do you ask?"

"Just out of curiosity," Phoenix replied. "Now we have to go and prepare our case for tomorrow."

"Just hang in there Mr. Bryan," Trucy said supportively.

"Yeah… will do…" Bryan said with a smile.

Once they left the detention center, Phoenix looked at the time on his phone. "It's starting to get late," he said. "Better get some dinner and prepare for tomorrow."

"Do you think we'll be ready?" Trucy asked.

There were still a lot of unknowns in this case, just like who was this eyewitness? And also, was this Thompson going to help figure out this case or be determined to have Mr. Bryan locked up behind bars. "Only tomorrow will tell," Phoenix said.

* * *

FoxMcCloud7921


	5. Trial Former

(A/N: First off, I wanted to mention that in this chapter and possibly future chapters concerning parts of the trial, I'm going to change things up so they seem to go more along the lines of the game and if I'm satisfied, I'll stick with that set up. For this part, the song I'm using is "Courtroom Lobby ~ Prelude to the Future" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

Trial Former

_May 14, 9:41 am  
__Downtown Courthouse  
__Defendant Lobby No. 3_

_*"Well…this is the first time I've stepped into a Chicago courthouse…" _Phoenix thought to himself as he an Trucy waited outside in the lobby. The courthouse itself was much larger than the one he was used to entering.

"It really feels like stepping into unknown territory," Trucy said, hopping slightly on one foot.

"That's for sure…" Phoenix replied. "Different judge, different prosecutor... we'll have to stay on our toes for this one."

"You might need it." The door behind them had just opened and Jake Bryan came into the room.

"Oh, Mr. Bryan," Trucy said. "I'm surprised they got you here this early."

Bryan chuckled. "Do they call it early at your courthouse? They run things a bit more strictly around here."

"Anything we should know before the trial starts?" Phoenix asked.

"Well…" Bryan looked around for a moment. "You didn't hear this from me… but the prosecutor in today's trial from what I've heard can be a bit of a hard-ass. He takes his job seriously and well… you wouldn't want to get on his bad side."

"_Great…this is starting to become all too familiar…" _Phoenix thought with a sigh.

"Anyway, I hope you two are prepared," Bryan said.

"To be honest… there really isn't much for us to go on," Phoenix said with a shrug. "I'm not entirely sure what the police found, but what we do know is that if the cause of death was Mr. Sweeney being pushed down the stairs, then the culprit wasn't you Mr. Bryan."

"Uh… not that I'm denying it, but you found proof?" Bryan asked.

"We did find shoe prints at the top of the stairs, and they were a size nine from what Trucy and I guessed," Phoenix replied.

"S-Size nine?" Bryan asked, suddenly looking startled.

"Are you alright Mr. Bryan?" Trucy asked, looking concerned.

"…No it's nothing, I'm fine," Bryan said.

"…_Somehow I get the feeling he isn't telling us something…but now's not the time." _"Mr. Bryan, I just need to know: was there anyone who had a grudge against Mr. Sweeney, anyone you can think of?"

"Not to my knowledge," Bryan said. "Dan was a pretty well-liked guy for the most part. And people always did like going to the juice bar he owned, mostly cause he charged decent prices."

Suddenly, the door to the courtroom opened and the bailiff poked his head around. "Mr. Wright, the trial is about to begin."

"I guess it's time then, huh?" Trucy asked.  
"Right," Phoenix said. "All we have to do is prove that Mr. Bryan wasn't involved in Mr. Sweeney's death." But there were still questions needed to be answered, and so far there wasn't a lot to go on.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Court Begins" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

_May 14, 10:00 am  
__Downtown Courthouse  
__Courtroom No. 3_

*"Court is now in session for the trial of Mr. Jake Bryan," the judge proclaimed. Compared to the judge Phoenix was used to seeing, this judge looked about the same age minus the beard. "Are the prosecution and defense both prepared?"

"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Phoenix said. _"At least, I sure hope we are…"_

Opposite of him was a man wearing a navy blue vest with a white tie over a white collared shirt. Judging by the slight grey in his dark hair, Phoenix could guess he was somewhere in his forties.  
"The prosecution is also ready, Your Honor."

"_Prosecutor Thompson…so this is my opponent today," _Phoenix thought, looking at the man.

Thompson then looked in Phoenix's direction. "I would also like to welcome Mr. Wright as this is his first time in Chicago no doubt. However, that being said, it should be known that I have heard a lot of things about you and therefore won't tolerate any of your foolish habits in this courtroom."

"…_Mr. Bryan certainly wasn't exaggerating."_

"Wow daddy, he sounds pretty serious," Trucy said.

"I assure you Mr. Thompson that my methods aren't foolish, but rather used to find the truth," Phoenix said.

"With that all being said, let us begin," the judge said. "Prosecutor Thompson, your opening statement please."

"Of course," Thompson said. "Two nights ago, around ten o'clock at night, the victim and the defendant, Jake Bryan and Dan Sweeney, respectively, were at Mr. Sweeney's home drinking a few cans of beer. At some point, there was an altercation which soon led to the top of the stairs in the house. Mr. Bryan was at the top and Mr. Sweeney was on the foot of the steps. Both of them had to be slightly intoxicated, which probably caused the fight to begin with. Finally, the fight reached a peak as Mr. Bryan pushed Mr. Sweeney and the victim lost his balance and fell down the steps, breaking his neck upon hitting the bottom, and died instantly."

"Hmm… I see," the judge said. "Very well Mr. Thompson, you may call your first witness."

"The first person I call to the stand is Detective James Marshall," Thompson said.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Cross-Examination ~ Moderato" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

Once the detective was seated, Thompson continued. "Witness, please state your name and occupation."

"Detective James Marshall, Homicide Division of the Chicago Police Department," Marshall said.

"Detective, I want you to testify about the investigation conducted yesterday to the court," Thompson.

"Yes sir." Marshall then began his testimony.

*"Upon checking out the crime scene, we discovered beer cans in the living room, which explained the victim's BAC levels.

"According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was a broken neck, and bruises on his arms and legs were caused by the victim falling down the stairs. His BAC levels were about .08.

"There were also shards of glass found by the stairs as well, meaning the altercation got violent rather quickly.

"If I had to guess… the defendant probably felt threatened and therefore pushed the victim down the stairs."

"So… you believe that the victim fell due to being intoxicated?" the judge asked.

"Mr. Sweeney was a large man, size-wise, so in normal cases it would've been hard for Mr. Bryan to push him over," Marshall said. "However, at the level Mr. Sweeney was at, all he had to do was lose his balance and that was, unfortunately, his downfall."

"Your Honor, the autopsy report was just finished this morning and I would like to submit it to the court," Thompson said.

"The court accepts this report," the judge replied. "Now then Mr. Wright, you may begin your cross-examination."

"What do you think, daddy?" Trucy asked.

"His testimony seemed truthful and professional," Phoenix said. "I'll just have to poke my way in and see if I find any holes."

*_"According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was a broken neck, and bruises on his arms and legs were caused by the victim falling down the stairs. His BAC levels were about .08."_

"**Hold it!** Detective, if the victim was highly intoxicated, wouldn't it be possible that he may have lost his balance and fell down the stairs himself?"

"…Well, when you put it that way, it's poss-"

"**Objection!**" Thompson stated. "If that were true Mr. Wright, wouldn't have Mr. Bryan called the police right away?"

"I believe he would have, which makes me believe that my client was not there at the time of death."

"However, you have no proof that he _wasn't _there at the time… besides do you really think he broke something just out of sheer rage?"

"Well…good point…"

"Please continue with your cross-examination Mr. Wright," the judge said patiently.

"_There were also shards of glass found by the stairs as well, meaning the altercation got violent rather quickly."_

"**Hold it!** This is the first time I've heard about this. Can you explain what it was that broke?"

"From what we've guessed, it had to be a vase," Marshall said. "One of those clear ones where you put flowers and water in. Anyway, we tried to look for fingerprints but there were so many pieces it was hard to tell. They're still being analyzed as we speak. I also forgot to mention that we did find some blood on one of the pieces, as well as some on the carpet near the stairs. That's still being analyzed as well."

"_Blood on the glass…I'll have to keep that in mind for later," _Phoenix thought.

"Anyway…" the detective said. _"If I had to guess… the defendant probably felt threatened and therefore pushed the victim down the stairs."  
_

* * *

(A/N: For this last part, the song I'm using is "Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2013" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

"**Objection!** I'm sorry Detective, but I'm afraid that may just not be possible."

"W-What?" Marshall said.

"Mr. Wright, I warned you about this…" Thompson started.

"I would like to present this evidence to the court," Phoenix said. "What do you see Your Honor?"

"It… looks like shoe imprints?" the judge asked. "On the top of the stairs?"

"Yes, but what size would you guess they are?" Phoenix asked.

"Hmm… I would say somewhere around a size nine."

"Exactly," Phoenix said with a slight smirk. *"These are a size nine… but Mr. Bryan wears size eleven shoes!"

The audience in the court started murmuring in the crowd and the judge quickly banged on his gavel. "Order! Order!"

"Way to go daddy!" Trucy said happily.

"**Objection!** Detective, I would like an explanation!" Thompson said, suddenly looking furious.

"I-I… I'm sorry sir; I thought the forensics team did a thorough search…" Marshall said.

"We'll discuss this… and your future salary, at a later time."

"Ugh…" Marshall looked miserable all of a sudden.

"Poor detective…" Trucy said. "I feel bad for him now…"

"Uh… Mr. Thompson, what is your take on this development?" the judge asked.

Thompson was silent for a moment. From what Phoenix saw, he could tell Thompson was not prepared for this. "I admit this is something that was overlooked," he said. He then banged his fist on the table. "However…! This does not necessarily prove Mr. Bryan's innocence!"

"**Objection! **It couldn't be any clearer!" Phoenix said. "The prints are exactly where the murder took place, and as I already said, Mr. Bryan only wears size eleven shoes!"

"Perhaps, but I still have a witness who proclaims to have seen the defendant leave the house shortly after the murder."

"_Damn! We were so close…! Was that all for nothing!?" _Phoenix thought in anguish.

"But who could've been out at that time of night?" Trucy asked.

"My next witness will answer to that," Thompson said. "Your Honor, I wish to request a fifteen minute recess so I can prepare my witness."

The judge nodded. "Very well, the court will recess for fifteen minutes." He then banged his gavel one last time.

* * *

FoxMcCloud7921


	6. Trial Medial

(A/N: For this first part, the song I'm using here is "Courtroom Lobby ~ Prelude to the Future" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

Trial Medial

_May 14, 11:32 am_

_Downtown Courthouse_

_Defendant Lobby No. 3_

*"Well, that certainly went better than we hoped for," Trucy said as she and Phoenix stood outside in the defendant lobby.

"To be honest, I thought we had it right there," Phoenix said with a sigh. But as always was the case for his cases, there were always a surprise or two in store. _"And now that I think about it…just who could this witness be? If he or she really did see Mr. Bryan at the crime scene, this could really complicate our case."_

"I am curious who this mystery witness is though," Trucy said, her finger tapping her chin in thought. "Could they really have seen Mr. Bryan there, and better yet, what were they doing there in the middle of the night?"

"…That's actually a good point," Phoenix said. "Well, it looks like we better head in now, court is about to begin again."

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Court Begins" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies. And then after that, "Eccentric 2007" from Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.)

* * *

_May 14, 11:40 am_

_Downtown Courthouse_

_Courtroom No. 3_

*"Court is now back in session," the judge announced as he banged his gavel. "Are the defense and prosecution prepared to continue?"

"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Phoenix said.

"The prosecution is also ready, Your Honor," Thompson said.

"Very well," the judge said. "Mr. Thompson, is your next witness prepared?"

"Yes," Thompson said. "The prosecution calls Damien Pierce to the stand."

"_Wait…why does that name sound familiar?" _Phoenix wondered. Once the witness came to the stand, he didn't have to wonder for long.

"Witness, will you please state your name and occupation?" Thompson asked.

*"…Mr. Lawyer, is that you?" the witness, Damien asked.

"Wait… you!?" Phoenix exclaimed. "You're the witness!?"

"Witness, do you know Mr. Wright?" the judge asked.

"We've been acquainted," Damien said.

"Ahem, witness, your name and profession…" Thompson said icily.

"Hey miss, you said this guy here's your father?" Damien asked.

"Who me?" Trucy asked. "Yes, that's right."

"Good, make sure to be careful on the streets," Damien warned. "It can be pretty-"

Thompson slammed his fist into the table. "Name! Occupation! Now!"

"S-Sorry…" Damien said. "Damien Pierce…uh…daily juice bar consumer?"

"_Yep… I am definitely getting flashbacks here…" _Phoenix said, sweating slightly.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Cross-Examination ~ Moderato 2013" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

"Mr. Pierce, you claim to have seen the defendant leave the victim's house at the time of the murder?" Thompson asked.

"That's right," Damien replied.

"Very well, you will then testify to the court of the events that took place."

*"I believe it was around ten o'clock at night when I decided to go out and take a walk. It was rather foggy out, which seemed a bit unusual.

"I was coming by Mr. Sweeney's house when I saw the front door open and someone was running out of it. I would've ignored it except for the fact the door had been left wide open.

"Since the person leaving didn't come back, I went to the door to close it and asked if anyone was there. Since there was no response, I went in and then discovered the body before calling the police."

"So you were the first one to find the body?" Thompson asked.

"Yeah…" Damien said, looking a tad bit pale. "You think you can stomach it, watching all those crime dramas, but it doesn't matter."

"For one to have discovered the victim, his testimony was rather brief," Trucy pointed out.

"Not only that, but it's not very clear either," Phoenix added. There was one part that troubled him, and he would be quick to point it out.

"Now then Mr. Wright, you may begin your cross-examination," the judge said.

_*"I believe it was around ten o'clock at night when I decided to go out and take a walk. It was rather foggy out, which seemed a bit unusual."_

"**Hold it!** Just how foggy was it that night?" Phoenix asked.

"Hm… I'd say if it weren't for the street lights it would be pretty hard to see about ten feet in front of you," Damien said.

"_I thought as much…" _Phoenix thought.

"_I was coming by Mr. Sweeney's house when I saw the front door open and someone was running out of it. I would've ignored it except for the fact the door had been left wide open."_

"**Hold it! **Can you describe the person you saw?" Phoenix asked.

"Uh… well from what I can tell, the figure was kind of small but that person sure was fast, I can tell you that. It was kind of hard to see in the dark and fog," Damien said.

"If that's true, then you are still sure it was the defendant Mr. Bryan?" Phoenix asked.

"**Objection!**" Thompson cried out rather quickly. "Mr. Wright, he's already said that he indeed saw Bryan leave the house!"

"And is the witness one hundred percent sure of this?" Phoenix countered.

"…Oh, uh, well, to be honest… I wouldn't say a hundred percent…" Damien said, grimacing slightly.

"Mr. Pierce, that's not what you were saying an hour ago," Thompson said venomously.

"I-I'm sorry," Damien said. "The truth is I only saw the figure but I am still sure it had to be Bryan, he was the only who could be there!"

"…Your Honor, can I have that part added to the witness' testimony?" Phoenix asked.

"Very well, does the witness permit this?" the judge asked.

"Um… sure?" Damien said. "The only person who could have been leaving the house at the time was Bryan himself."

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2013" and then "Pursuit ~ Keep Pressing On" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

"**Objection!**" Phoenix cried out.

"…You set me up for that, didn't you?" Damien grumbled.

"…Mr. Wright?" the judge asked.

"Oh, sorry Your Honor," Phoenix replied. "First, I have a couple of questions for the witness. Mr. Pierce, do you know Mr. Sweeney well?"

"Not very well," Damien said. "I only see him at the juice bar from time to time there with his daugh-" *He then stopped and suddenly went paler. "…His daughter."

"Exactly," Phoenix said. "So unfortunately, your previous statement from before would be wrong."

"**Objection!**" Thompson cried out. "Mr. Wright, do I have to remind you that the daughter clearly said she was not present at the time of the murder!?"

"You're right Mr. Thompson," Phoenix said. "Which leads me to my second question: what is your foot size Mr. Pierce?"

"M-My foot size?" Damien asked.

"Mr. Pierce, answer the question," the judge said.

"It's…" He looked down and mumbled. "Nine and a half."

Suddenly the audience in the court started to murmur amongst each other. The judge banged on his gavel multiple times. "Order, order! Mr. Wright, what exactly are you trying to say here!?"

"It's simple," Phoenix said. "At first Mr. Pierce, I was wondering why you were wearing a coat on a nice spring day such as today. It was then I realized you do it because you're embarrassed about something: you have short legs don't you?"

"I… yeah, you're right," Damien said, looking embarrassed. "I know it's not a big deal but… I have a bigger torso and short legs. It's not… very attractive among the ladies."

"Poor Mr. Pierce…" Trucy said. "But we really don't judge on appearance; at least not all the time."

"Wright, you're not seriously suggesting…" Thompson said.

"I am," Phoenix said. "I've already presented evidence claiming that the person who pushed Mr. Sweeney down the stairs had to be wearing a size nine or around there. Mr. Pierce wears a size nine and a half. Therefore… *it was Mr. Pierce that pushed Mr. Sweeney down the steps!"

"W-What!?" It seemed as if the word came from both the judge and the witness.

"**Objection!** Mr. Wright, I thought I'd be prepared for such nonsense but clearly this outdoes anything I ever expected!" Thompson exclaimed. "It's also clear you've become desperate enough to even accuse my own witness!"

"Nonsense? I think not, Mr. Thompson," Phoenix said with a confident smile.

"Y-You can't be serious!"

"But it all adds up!" Phoenix said. "Footprints found at the scene closely match the size of shoes Mr. Pierce wears, not to mention he has contradicted himself with seeing the defendant when in actuality it was too foggy that night to barely see ten feet in front of him."

"This… can't be…" Thompson said, his hands gripping the sides of the table.

"I think Mr. Thompson is speechless," Trucy said.

"**HOLD IT!" **The courtroom suddenly became quiet and everyone looked towards Damien Pierce. "Wait, there was one thing I forgot to mention!"

"And you waited til now to tell us!?" the judge snapped.

"I didn't think it important at the moment, but when I saw the person leaving the house, I heard a noise, one I couldn't possibly mistake," Damien said. "It was a ringtone."

"A-A ringtone!?" Phoenix exclaimed.

"From a cell phone!?" Thompson demanded.

"Yes, and from what I heard, it sounded like a J-Pop tune!" Damien said.

"…J-Pop? What is that?" the judge asked.

"He means Japanese pop music," Thompson explained. "Although I have to say Mr. Pierce, you're not the kind of guy to listen to that kind of stuff."

"E-Er… well…" Damien looked a bit embarrassed.

"_That…was a bit uncalled for," _Phoenix thought.

* * *

(A/N: For this last part, the song I'm using is "Thrill Theme ~ Suspense" from Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.)

* * *

Suddenly, out of the blue, a cell phone went off. The judge looked agitated. "Need I remind the audience that all cell phones are to be turned off or put on silen-"

"That's it!" Damien said, almost standing up. Suddenly, the sound of the door in the back opening and closing was heard.

"W-What is Mr. Pierce?" the judge asked.

"That was the ringtone!" Damien yelled. "You heard it didn't you?"

"Then that means…" Phoenix suddenly felt a cold sweat. *"Your Honor, if this is true, that means the true killer was just in this room!"

"W-What!?" the judge cried out. "Bailiff, find the other officers and close down the courtroom immediately!"

The bailiff made a mad dash out of the courtroom and there was a bit of commotion outside. For Phoenix, the next five minutes felt like the longest he had ever felt in a long time. After that, the bailiff returned. "I'm sorry Your Honor. We locked everything down and looked around but found no one. The person may have escaped."

"I see…" the judge said. "If that is the case, then perhaps we have reached an impasse in this case. With that being said, I move to adjourn for the day so that the defense and prosecution find out more about our mystery murderer. Is this agreeable to you both, Mr. Wright and Mr. Thompson?"

"Yes Your Honor," Phoenix said.

"Very well, I move to adjourn and reconvene-"

"**Objection!**"

The judge was suddenly stunned. "Mr. Thompson, what is it?"

"I'm sorry Your Honor, but I see no reason to adjourn now," Thompson said.

"And why not?" the judge asked.

"Can you not see what Mr. Pierce is doing?" Thompson asked. "How fortunate for him to suddenly 'remember' a key important fact, and that fact reveals itself two seconds later."

"**Objection!**" Phoenix countered. "You were the one who denied his involvement moments before!"

"Indeed you are right, and I admit I had my doubts, but the events that took place mere moments ago seem a bit… odd." Thompson then paused. "However… I realize it would be useless to question each person in the audience. Therefore, I will withdraw my objection and by tomorrow morning figure this all out."

"_What was that all about?" _Phoenix wondered. _"He just did a 180 on himself…"_

"Maybe Mr. Thompson was still processing everything before he spoke?" Trucy suggested.

"…Well in that case, as I stated before, the court will adjourn and reconvene tomorrow morning, hoping that either the prosecution or defense will find something new to add to this case." He then banged his gavel. "Court is adjourned!"

* * *

FoxMcCloud7921


	7. Investigation II

(A/N: So once again I apologize for being inactive the past couple months. I don't need to explain why but I can tell you all that once I am done with this particular case, I will go back to working on Star Fox, Pokemon, etc. so please be patient with me! Anyway, we're almost at the final stretch here and after this chapter (this chapter will probably be a bit shorter) will be the final part of the trial and ultimately the end of this case so once again I ask you all to be patient with me. Now then, for this first part, the song I'm going to use here is "Investigation ~ Core 2013" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

Investigation II

_Sweeney Household  
__May 14, 2:47 pm  
__Downtown_

"So why are we back here then?" Trucy asked. "Haven't we found all the evidence that can be found?"

"I don't think so," Phoenix said. "Even though we have enough evidence to prove Mr. Bryan's innocence, something still isn't adding up." He then saw a familiar face by the crime scene. "Detective Marshall?"

"Mr. Wright?" The detective then smiled slightly. "I figured we'd both meet here eventually…"

"Uh, sorry about today," Phoenix replied.

"Don't worry about it," Marshall said. "I'm expected to do better as a detective so the fault is mine. But Thompson won't actually cut my salary; he knows I'm a good detective."

"If you don't mind me asking… has he always been like that?" Phoenix asked.

Marshall's face then grew serious. "Not always. He actually was a pretty nice guy when he first started off. I think he went to school out west before coming here as a prosecutor. Don't get me wrong, he was tough on the outside but on the inside he was a regular human being just like all of us. But that then changed…"

"What happened?" Phoenix asked.

"Mr. Thompson had a family," Marshall continued. "A wife and a son. He wanted his son to follow in his footsteps one day so he made sure he watched a lot of his trials… but one day Thompson was involved in a very intense trial. A big crime lord who finally slipped one day and got himself arrested. Of course, going against a guy like that spells danger for any prosecutor but Thompson wasn't the type to back down.

"Unfortunately, some of the crime lord's cronies thought the best attack was against his family. His son… was at the park with his mom when a couple of guys came up and started shooting up the place. By the time anyone could call the police it was too late. That day changed everything for Thompson and he was more determined than ever to win that case."

"That's so sad…" Trucy said.

"…I had no idea…" Phoenix said.

"The worst part is, the guy got away scott-free," Marshall said. "The scumbag deserved every punishment handed towards him but somehow his attorney found a loophole in the case. That was the final straw for Thompson. His opinion of defense attorneys changed completely and to this day he's a completely different man."

"_It all makes sense now…and to be honest, it reminds me of a certain other prosecutor I know…" _Phoenix thought.

"But anyway, enough about that," Marshall said. "I'm sure you're here for the same reason?"

"That's right," Phoenix said. "You said in court today you found pieces of glass near the crime scene?"

"We did," Marshall said. "In fact, we were able to figure out where it came from. The glass originated from a picture frame."

*"Picture frame… wait a minute!" Phoenix quickly pulled out the picture from the court record. "I found this picture sitting at a table yesterday."

"So you took that, huh?" Marshall said.

"You did say-"

"I know, I know," Marshall said. "Wait… that's Sweeney's wife isn't it? That's strange…"

"What is?" Trucy asked.

"From what I gathered, Sweeney cherished his wife more than anything," Marshall said. "There's no way he would have casually trashed a picture of his late wife."

"…Unless he was either in a rage or highly intoxicated," Phoenix replied.

"Or both," Marshall added. He looked over at the wall. "When the glass broke, it's possible that some of it could have landed on someone if they were in close proximity. After looking at the autopsy report, Sweeney wasn't the target."

"So Sweeney was the one who threw it," Phoenix said.

"Exactly, but the question is, who was it thrown at? Whoever it was has to be our culprit."

"Mr. Bryan didn't have any cuts on him…" Phoenix said. "What about the witness, Mr. Pierce?"

"Well, he was wearing a coat but we found no traces of glass on him."

"So we're out of suspects…" Phoenix grimaced.

"I wonder…" Marshall muttered to himself.

"Huh?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Marshall said. "I may as well go back to the precinct and try to look deeper into a motive. That may be the key to solving this."

"Do you mind if we stick around a little bit longer?" Phoenix asked.

"Help yourself," Marshall said. "I need to fill in Prosecutor Thompson about all this anyway."

"So the motive is the key?" Trucy asked once Marshall was gone.

"What we know from Mr. Bryan is that he and Mr. Sweeney both had an interest in Mrs. Sweeney," Phoenix said. "But even after her death, it would seem weird for Bryan to hold a grudge, and Mr. Sweeney himself knew that they both liked her but he wouldn't attack his closest friend."

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using here is "Eccentric 2007" from Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.)

* * *

Suddenly, they heard the front door open and looked over to see Kelly Sweeney standing there in the same green sweater. "Whoa…!" Kelly said, surprised. "I was stopping by to get some of my things…but to find Phoenix Wright here… *this must be my lucky day!"

"_Oh great…" _"Uh…Kelly, you do realize this area is still a crime scene, right?"

"…Oh shoot you're right!" Kelly said. "I didn't even think of that… but I really need to get some of my things! Unless of course… you wouldn't mind going into my room and getting them for me?"

Phoenix couldn't tell if the somewhat amused face on her was serious or not. _"I'm dreaming…I must be dreaming…" _"N-No that's fine I'm sure as long as you don't disturb the crime scene!" He was kind of surprised she was wearing a sweater on a day like this though. "If it's alright though, I wanted to ask you a few questions."

"Anything for my favorite lawyer!" Kelly grinned. "Ask away!"

There were a few gaps in this case that have been nagging Phoenix for awhile now. "Just out of curiosity, how well did you know your foster mom?"

"Well, I didn't know her personal life too well, although she did tell me a few stories, like how she and my foster dad met. She told me that she knew Mr. Bryan well because they went out for a short time while still in high school. This was of course before she met Dan, who met her in college. I guess you could say she had feelings for both of them but she didn't know who to choose."

"_It explains the connection…" _Phoenix thought. "And after she died, was there ever any bad blood between Mr. Bryan and Mr. Sweeney?"

"Never," Kelly said. "They became close friends and Mr. Bryan even helped Dan through the coping process." She then looked down. "I was sad that she was gone too but…I never really knew her long enough to become really attached to her."

"You never really got to know your real parents so it was hard to open up to them," Trucy said. Phoenix then felt a pang of guilt, remembering how after what had been at the time his last trial as a lawyer, he found Trucy all alone and eventually took her in.

"I guess you're right," Kelly said. "Unfortunately now I'm going to end up back in the System again…but then again, it's not like I'm not already used to it."

"Just one more question Kelly," Phoenix said, who could feel as if she were ready to run off now. "You said before the time of the murder you went to a friend's house right?"

"That's right," Kelly said. "I believe it was before 10 pm."

"And between those two times you didn't come back at all?" Phoenix asked. And then suddenly it happened. Everything behind Kelly went black and chains suddenly surrounded her with a large lock right where her heart was. Of course, he and only he was seeing this because of the magatama that Maya gave him long ago, which he carried with him to this day.

"_I knew it…"_ He didn't want to believe it, but with Bryan and Pierce's alibis adding up, who else could be a suspect?

"Nope, not at all," Kelly said. What he saw before him was proof that she was lying but did he have enough evidence to prove it? Even if he did, he decided to do nothing about it.

"That's all I needed to know," Phoenix said. "Well, I guess we're done here so you can go up and get your things."

"Okay then and Mr. Wright…?" Kelly asked. "Good luck with the trial." There was no mockery in her tone at all. It was all genuine, which further confused him.

"I know that look," Trucy said as they left the house. "She was lying wasn't she?"

"Yeah," Phoenix said. "However, we can't expose her yet, at least not until the trial. I may have an idea though…"

"_I now knew we were close to the finish. Tomorrow will be the final part of the trial and we'll finally figure out the truth…but I still wonder…is Kelly Sweeney really capable of committing murder, or was it something else? I have all the pieces now and it's finally time to put them all in place…"  
_

* * *

FoxMcCloud7921


	8. Trial Final

(A/N: For this first part, the song I'm using is "Courtroom Lobby ~ Prelude to the Future" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

Trial Final

_May 15, 9:47 am_

_Downtown Courthouse_

_Courthouse Defense Lobby No. 3_

*"I guess this is it then," Trucy said as she and Phoenix stood outside the courtroom. "Are you sure we're ready for this?"

"_There are only so many suspects in this case," _Phoenix thought. _"But there's only one who could have done it…I just hope my plan here works…" _"We're as ready as we're going to be," he replied. He then heard a sigh behind him, turned around to see Mr. Bryan standing behind him, looking exhausted. "Mr. Bryan, are you hanging in there?"

Bryan smiled weakly. "As best I can," he said. "One way or another, I'll be glad when this is over."

"Don't give up yet," Trucy said. "This isn't over yet!"

"_No…this is just the beginning."  
_

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Court Begins" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

_May 15, 10:00 am_

_Downtown Courthouse_

_Courtroom No. 3_

After the judge banged his gavel, the commotion in the audience died down. *"Now then, the trial of Mr. Bryan will continue," the judge said. "Are both sides ready to begin?"

"The defense is ready Your Honor," Phoenix said.

"The prosecution is also ready Your Honor," Thompson said.

"Very well," the judge said. "Yesterday it seemed we reached an impasse in this case…Mr. Thompson, I'm hoping you can help us continue along. Do you have any new witnesses?"

Thompson, at least from Phoenix's point of view, looked like he barely got any sleep last night. "I do Your Honor. We have yet to hear her side of the story so with that being said the prosecution is calling Kelly Sweeney to the stand."

"_I knew this was coming," _Phoenix thought. But the real question he was wondering was whether Kelly would cooperate.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Eccentric 2007" from Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.)

* * *

After Kelly had been seated, Thompson addressed her. "Now witness, state your name and occupation." However, Kelly seemed distracted at the moment, looking around the courtroom. She was once again wearing that same green sweater. "Er…witness, could you please state your name and occupation?"

*"Wow, this courthouse looks much larger than how they show it on TV!" Kelly said. She then looked over at Phoenix and waved. "Mr. Wright, look at me I finally get to be on the witness stand!"

"That's…nice?" Phoenix said, rubbing the back of his head. _"Oh brother…"_

"Miss Sweeney, I will not ask you again for-" Thompson suddenly stopped. Kelly was giving him a rather sour look. "What is that look for?" he almost stammered.

"Sorry, I'm not the biggest fan of prosecutors," Kelly replied. Thompson seemed at a loss for words at the moment.

"Miss Sweeney, you will address and cooperate with Mr. Thompson or I will hold you in contempt!" the judge snapped.

"Eep!" Kelly squeaked. "S-Scary…"

"_Very scary…" _Phoenix said, sweating now.

"She's certainly full of spirit, isn't she?" Trucy asked.

"I'm Kelly Sweeney, high school student but hopefully soon to be defense attorney extraordinaire," Kelly said with a smile.

"Now Miss Sweeney, as I seem to recall you were at a sleepover at the time of the murder," Thompson said.

"That's right."

"And I'd like to know your whereabouts during that time and upon coming home the following morning."

"Alright, I can do that."

"_It's go time now," _Phoenix thought.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Cross Examination ~ Moderato 2013" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

*"I believe it was around nine o'clock when I left to go over to my friend's house.

"I said bye to Dan and told him I'd be back in the morning.

"I think Mr. Bryan came short after cause I didn't see him when I left.

"It was starting to get foggy and rainy so I had to run quick to my friend's house to avoid getting wet.

"I didn't even know about Dan's murder til I came back the following morning."

"Hmm…" the judge said. "So at no point that night did you run into Mr. Bryan or anyone else?"

"Nope, although it's possible we may have just missed each other," Kelly said.

"Just one other question," Thompson said. "Where have you been staying the past couple of days?"

"At said friend's house," Kelly said. It seemed like she wasn't going to give names out.

"Very well. Mr. Wright, you may begin your cross examination," the judge said.

"Was there anything in there that seemed contradicting?" Trucy asked.

"It sounds like she's telling the truth…but nevertheless something isn't adding up," Phoenix commented.

"_I believe it was around nine o'clock when I left to go over to my friend's house."_

"Just out of curiosity Miss Sweeney, how long does it take to get to your friend's house?" Phoenix asked.

"About twenty minutes, I certainly don't mind the walking," Kelly said. "And please Mr. Wright, you can just call me Kelly." She gave him a slight wink. "Anyway, the distance isn't far and if I needed to come back for anything in the middle of the night I had an extra house key with me.

"Er…right Kelly…" _"That last bit sounded important…I'll just save it for later."_

"_I think Mr. Bryan came short after cause I didn't see him when I left."_

"I believe you mentioned he comes over quite a lot. Is it always after nine o'clock?"

"No, it depends on the day, a lot of times he comes over earlier, they are- well, were best friends after all," Kelly replied.

"Are Mr. Bryan's coming and goings that important to the case?" Thompson asked.

"Er…no I guess not, sorry," Phoenix replied sheepishly.

"_It was starting to get foggy and rainy so I had to run quick to my friend's house to avoid getting wet."_

"Was it already wet when you left Kelly?" Phoenix asked.

"No, not yet," Kelly said. "It hadn't rained for awhile so the ground was pretty dry if I remember."

"_Hmm…now I think I'm getting somewhere…"  
_

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Phoenix Wright ~ Objection 2013" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

"_I didn't even know about Dan's murder til I came back the following morning."_

"Objection!" Phoenix exclaimed. "Miss Sweeney, most of your testimony holds up but I'm afraid you were lying about not returning to the house til the next morning."

"W-What?" Kelly said. "How could I be lying?"

"It's very simple," Phoenix said. He then took out a picture. "These are shoeprints found at the scene of the murder and the only reason they were noticeable was due to the shoes both being wet and slightly covered in mud. *Oddly enough, these shoeprints match the shoe size you currently wear."

"A-Ah!" Kelly squeaked in surprise.

Suddenly the whole started up in commotion and the judge had to bang on his gavel multiple times. "Order, order!" the judge said. "Mr. Wright, you are suggesting Miss Sweeney was at the scene of the crime when it happened?"

"I am Your Honor," Phoenix replied.

"Objection!" Thompson said. "I knew you were going to pull this one out Mr. Wright, and what proof other than those shoeprints do you have that can prove that Miss Sweeney was even there at the time?"

"Y-Yeah, what about Mr. Pierce?" Kelly asked.

"Weren't you listening Mr. Thompson?" Phoenix asked. "Miss Sweeney herself just said she had an extra key on her."

"Ugh!" Thompson said, suddenly dumbstruck.

"Ah, so if her father locked the door she could get back in without a problem," the judge said.

"But how do we know Mr. Sweeney locked the door in the first place?" Thompson asked. "Yes, Mr. Pierce said the front door was unlocked but it doesn't establish the fact if anyone ever locked it or unlocked it."

"He does have a point there," Trucy commented.

"_This is all true…but there's one last thing that confirms my belief…" _Phoenix thought. "Then I will bring up one more piece of evidence." He then showed the bag of glass from the picture frame. "Detective Marshall himself concluded that Mr. Sweeney was the one who threw the picture frame which then shattered, hence the glass on the floor. However, neither Mr. Bryan nor Mr. Pierce had any fragments of glass found on them nor any cuts."

"W-Wait!" Kelly said. "I…I can explain that. Your Honor, may I add something to my testimony?"

"Very well Miss Sweeney, and if you can, please try to give more detail as well?"

"Yes Your Honor," Kelly replied.

"_Now what is she thinking?" _Phoenix wondered.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Cross Examination ~ Allegro 2013" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

*"I was in a rush before leaving and a lot of times I pick up and look at the picture of my foster mom.

"My hands were slippery so the picture fell out of my hands and it shattered.

"I was going to clean it up but Dan told me not to worry about it.

"So that explains the glass on the floor and I didn't pick it up because I was worried about cutting my hands."

"Hmm… so where the glass was found was where you dropped the frame?" the judge asked.

"That's right," Kelly said.

"_Now I know she's lying," _Phoenix said. _"She just dug herself a bigger hole…and I still have my trump card, hoping that it works."_

"You may begin cross-examining the witness Mr. Wright," the judge said.

"_My hands were slippery so the picture fell out of my hands and it shattered."_

"Objection!" Phoenix said. "I'm sorry Miss Sweeney, but what you said there was impossible."

"Impossible how?" Kelly asked.

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Pursuit ~ Keep Pressing On" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

"There was carpet throughout the house and if you did drop the picture frame, it could have possibly shattered the glass but not the way it was found," Phoenix said. "The amount of force it took to shatter this glass means the picture frame was thrown and hit against the wall. *I think it was Mr. Sweeney who threw the frame and I believe you were the target!"

Kelly suddenly looked stricken as the courtroom erupted even louder than before. "Order, order I say!" the judge said. "Mr. Wright! Are you now saying it was the victim who attacked the witness!?"

"There's no doubt in my mind," Phoenix said. Strangely there was no objection coming from Thompson's side.

"Mr. Thompson, what are your thoughts on this?" the judge asked.

Thompson was silent for a moment. "I am curious as to what Mr. Wright has to say."

"_Then I better keep going!" _Phoenix thought. "There's been one thing that has bothered me since we met Kelly. It's the middle of May and it's been quite warm and yet you're wearing a turtleneck sweater…the same one almost three days in a row I might add."

"I…uh…it's a fashion trend," Kelly weakly replied.

"I think I finally understand the reasoning behind it," Phoenix said. He then pointed a finger. "Miss Sweeney, you're hiding the cuts underneath your sweater!"

Kelly looked even more nervous than before and she couldn't even muster out a reply.

"Uh…Mr. Wright, are you suggesting…?" the judge asked.

"Yes, I'm asking the witness to remove her sweater!" Phoenix then paused, realizing how bad that just sounded. "Um…if she can that is."

"I think what Mr. Wright means is to show where the cuts are Your Honor," Thompson said. "Miss Sweeney, I do not wish to embarrass you, but considering the circumstances I must ask that you prove, here and now, if whether or not you were attacked."

It was suddenly quiet in the courtroom, enough for the entire audience to hear the next word that was spoken. "Alright," Kelly said. She then took a hand and pulled down on her collar, exposing her neck. There, for the judge, Thompson, and Phoenix to see, there were deep cuts on her neck, nothing fatal but it left long scabs on her neck where the wounds were healing.

"I don't know why it happened," Kelly said. "It was just a regular night as always…I ended up having to go back to the house later that night because I forgot my toothbrush of all things. The lights were still on but the door was locked so I went in, trying to be as quiet as I could. Dan was still awake though…and drunk from the look of things. He also seemed upset, looking at the picture of his wife…"

_Kelly realized about an hour after arriving at her friend's house she had forgotten her toothbrush. Normally, she wouldn't worry about it but considering her house was close enough she decided to make the trip back. She would be in and out in less than a minute anyway._

_Once she got back home, she used the extra key she had to unlock the door and opened it slowly. The lights were dimmed and it sounded like Mr. Bryan had already went back home. She was about to go upstairs when a voice stopped her._

"_Back already are you?" Kelly looked over and saw her foster father standing by the corner, looking at a picture._

"_Oh, no I forgot my toothbrush, I was just going to get it quick," she replied._

_Dan Sweeney didn't seem to be listening to her. "Almost every night before I go to bed I always say goodnight to your mother, even after her being gone all this time. This picture is really all I have left of her…but it doesn't really matter does it?"_

_Kelly suddenly had a bad feeling in her stomach. "I'm sorry, I'm just going to go upstairs real quick and I'll be out of here."_

"_But you hardly cared didn't you?" Sweeney said. "You were just glad to have food in your belly and a place to belong didn't you?"_

"_I've never said anything-"_

"_Shut up!" Sweeney snapped. "It's all your fault she's gone! All your fault!" He suddenly threw the frame at her. She quickly moved out of the way but as the glass shattered, she felt some of it cut against her neck. She suddenly fled upstairs, a hand to her wound. The blood wasn't flowing out quick, meaning nothing had nicked any major arteries._

_Sweeney was following her upstairs slowly. "Why are you running? Is it because I'm right?"_

"_Get away from me, I'll call the police!" Kelly yelled at him._

_She was at the top and was backing away slowly. Sweeney didn't seem to hear her words. He was too far gone now. "Not a day goes by without me thinking about her…and each day I know who's at fault…You caused this to happen; you're going to pay for what you did to her!"_

"_NO!" Kelly said, suddenly using all her strength to push him backwards. The man suddenly felt his balance shift and suddenly he fell down the stairs, crashing to the bottom with a sickening crack and thud, remaining motionless as the life drained out of him…_

"As soon as I saw what happened I panicked," Kelly said. "I knew I should've called the police but I was so scared to think what everyone would have thought. I just grabbed my sweater and got out of there and I didn't say a word to anyone."

"This…is startling news," the judge said. "So really it was the victim that attacked the suspect?"

"I still find it hard to believe that such events took place," Thompson said. "The way he died is easy enough to understand but how he got there seems fishy."

"You think I'm lying!?" Kelly snapped.

"I'm not really sure what to think anymore," Thompson said. "But a confession is a confession."

"That is correct," the judge said. "Is there anything else you wish to say Mr. Wright?"

* * *

(A/N: For this next part, the song I'm using is "Revisualization ~ Synaptic Resonance" from Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies.)

* * *

Phoenix had listened to everything and was now in deep thought. _"Everything that Kelly said adds up but before I give my answer I need to think this through one last time._

_*"Mr. Sweeney and Mr. Bryan met up and had drinks_ _this much we know. And this was after Kelly had left. I remember seeing about six beer cans in the house and in less than an hour that's a lot of alcohol._

"_If Mr. Sweeney had kept drinking, even after Mr. Bryan left, he would've been extremely intoxicated. So how does this play into his death? Because his motor functions were depressed extremely and therefore…when Kelly pushed him he lost his balance easily."_

"As a matter of fact I do Your Honor," Phoenix said. "I believe that this incident was not just self-defense on Miss Sweeney's part but an accidental one as well. I know she did not contact the authorities when she should have but Miss Sweeney is by no means guilty of murder!"

"Interesting…" the judge said. "I believe the same as well."

"Objection!" Thompson snapped."Your Honor, this can hardly be seen as accidental. Yes, the suspect was scared and in danger but there could've been a different way to resolve this! And even then, how could she at her size been able to knock a man his size down the stairs?"

"It's very simple Mr. Thompson," Phoenix said. "Mr. Sweeney was intoxicated, and it hardly matters how much he drank, it has the same effect. Miss Sweeney had no intention of harming the victim, she only wanted to get away from him."

"I hate to say it Mr. Thompson but that's something even you can't argue against," the judge said.

Thompson suddenly looked defeated. "Very well…the prosecution rests Your Honor."

"Now before I give my ruling, I'd like to say something to you Miss Sweeney," the judge said.

"Y-Yes Your Honor?" Kelly asked.

"I now understand how scared you were that night and how traumatic the episode was," the judge said. "However, not contacting the police put you in a bad situation with the police. You know I cannot simply let you go unpunished like this."

"I understand," Kelly said miserably.

"Then with that being said, I now find the defendant Mr. Bryan not guilty!" He then banged his gavel. "Court is dismissed."

* * *

_May 15, 11:03 am_

_Downtown Courthouse_

_Courthouse Defense Lobby No. 3_

"I can't believe we won!" Trucy said, beaming. "Of course, I never doubted you for a second Daddy."

"Yeah, it was a nail biter alright," Phoenix replied. "But still, I can't help but feel bad for Kelly. She didn't ask to be put in this situation."

"I don't think you'll have to worry about her." Both Phoenix and Trucy turned around to see a much more relaxed Bryan smiling at them.

"Mr. Bryan, I'm sure you feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders," Phoenix said.

"You could say that," Bryan said, laughing slightly. "I've been thinking a lot these past couple of days. Kelly is as important to me as she was to Dan. I know he was upset about losing his wife and to be honest, I wish I had done more to help him…but he was still a great guy and I owe it to him. So, I'm thinking of taking Kelly in as a daughter."

"Wow, that's great Mr. Bryan!" Trucy said. "That really is sweet of you."

"It's the least I can do for her," Bryan said. "Now, if it's alright with you, I think I'll go outside and get some much needed fresh air."

As soon as he left, they were greeted by another person. "Wright," Prosecutor Thompson said.

"Mr. Thompson," Phoenix said automatically, not sure how this was going to play out.

"I have to admit, at first I thought all the rumors about you out west were just that," Thompson said. "But I see now you're not just committed to your clients, but the innocent as well. For that, I apologize for my rudeness."

"It's no problem at all," Phoenix said. "But what about Kelly's situation."

"I can't say for sure, but I don't think she'll be spending any time in jail, I can promise you that," Thompson said. "We'll have to wait for the judge's decision on that. By the way…" A slight smile formed on his face. "I realize it's been awhile but surely you haven't forgotten about me already? I'm sure Mia hasn't already."

"Uh…"

"When you get back to California you'll have to read up on it," Thompson said. "Now if you don't mind, I must be heading back to my office. It'll be interesting if we meet again Wright."

"You know him Daddy?" Trucy asked as he walked away.

"I…don't know…" Phoenix replied. _"He knows me and Mia…? I wonder…"_

"So what now?" Trucy asked. "Do we head back home now?"

"Yeah, but I have one more thing left to do."

* * *

(A/N: For this last part, the song I'm using is "Detention Center ~ Prisoner's Elegy" from Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations.)

* * *

_May 15, 11:42 am_

_Detention Center_

_Downtown_

Kelly Sweeney was genuinely surprised to see who was waiting for her. "Mr. Wright? You came to see me?"

"How are you holding up?" Phoenix asked.

*"I'm a mixture of emotions, and how couldn't I be?" Kelly asked. "As far as I know, my career was over before it even started…and even if I do manage to get by no one will look at me the same anymore. All I wanted was to someday be a lawyer, just like you and now I'll be lucky just to get into college…"

"Can I offer you some advice?" Phoenix asked.

"What's that?"

"Don't give up," Phoenix replied. "I may not know you well as others but I can tell you're a fighter. Work hard in college for your major and that degree. And then when you pass the bar…" He then took out a card and gave it to her. "I want you to give me a call. I can always use people who are determined like you are on my team. So please Kelly, don't think this is the end…this is only the beginning."

Kelly took the card as tears started to form in her eyes. She then looked at Phoenix and smiled, probably the most genuine smile he had ever seen from her. "Thank you Mr. Wright…" she said. She wiped her eyes and stood up straighter. "I won't let you down!"

_It's people like Kelly that make me proud to be a lawyer…the fact that I can inspire others is enough to keep me going. I know she'll keep her word and in a few years I'll be expecting her phone call. All I can hope is that Mr. Bryan can keep up with her pace…_

The End

* * *

(A/N: So I apologize for the long wait. For whatever reason, I thought I had already finished this case but I was sorely mistaken. For the record, I haven't abandoned this story, there are just other stories that need to be worked on and if I feel like writing a chapter for one, then that's what happens. Of course, we still got about three or more cases in this story so we're not finished yet (don't let the words above fool you). With that being said, the next case as you can guess will involve Apollo and Athena so it should be fun and for all of you, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and this case, for there's plenty more to come.)

FoxMcCloud7921


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